Yemen’s Houthi forces say they launched a large missile and drone attack on Sultan Khalid Air Base in southwestern Saudi Arabia, in an escalation that could further intensify direct hostilities between the Houthis and Riyadh if independently confirmed.
Yahya Saree, spokesperson for the Houthi forces, said Monday that dozens of drones and ballistic missiles were launched toward military targets near Khamis Mushait. He claimed that fighter-jet hangars, ammunition depots and radar systems were among the targets.
Saree described the operation as retaliation for Saudi airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen. He also claimed that Saudi Arabia had carried out more than 300 airstrikes on Yemeni territory over the previous five days. That figure has not been independently verified.
Agence France-Presse, citing a resident of Khamis Mushait, reported that loud explosions were heard near the city. Saudi civil-defense warning sirens were also reportedly activated several times during the early hours of the day. However, the extent of any damage to Sultan Khalid Air Base or the other military targets claimed by the Houthis remains unclear.
The Houthis had also claimed a missile and drone attack on a military base in southern Saudi Arabia a day earlier, indicating a continuing cycle of attacks and retaliation. The group appears to be seeking to demonstrate its ability to threaten military installations inside Saudi territory, while Riyadh continues to respond with airstrikes in Yemen.
The reported location is strategically significant. Khamis Mushait is an important military area in southwestern Saudi Arabia, meaning repeated attacks there could increase security pressure on Riyadh and force greater attention to the protection of military infrastructure in the kingdom’s south.
At the same time, continued missile and air attacks increase the risk of a broader and more prolonged cycle of retaliation, potentially exposing both military and civilian infrastructure to further strikes.
From the perspective of Nimruz, the central issue is not simply whether the Houthis launched the attack, but whether they were able to penetrate Saudi defenses and inflict meaningful damage on a strategically important military facility. The Houthi claim of heavy damage has not been independently established, and the available reports do not yet provide sufficient evidence to determine the operational success of the attack.
The episode therefore remains a significant escalation claim rather than a fully verified battlefield assessment. Independent evidence regarding interceptions, impact locations, casualties and damage will be crucial to determining the actual scale and effectiveness of the operation.
